Vehicle body construction



June 13,1933. J WQQDALL r AL 1,914,003

VEHICLE BODY CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 20, 1930 I INVENTOR 14W 6 .wwceamfi mwm m n/mum A TORNEYS,

Patented June 13, 1933 UNITED STATES: ATENT OFFICE HERBERT J. woopm AND LTEBEDITH. s. RANDALL, OF DETROIT, \MIGHIGAN,

ASSIGNORS TO WOODALL INDUSTRIES INCORPORATED, A CORPORATION MICH- IGAN VEHICLE BODY CONSTRUCTION Application nch December 20, 1930. Serial No. 503,851.

Our invention relates to irhprovementsin vehicle body construction and particularly to an improved interior panel for a vehicle p body, and constitutes a continuation in part of abandoned application Serial Number 238,515, filed December 8, 1927. a

Various materials have heretofore been used for this purpose. t

been employed and various compositlonma- Metal and wood have terials have been used. Composition fibre board provided with a fabric, leather, or

' other finish, has been widely used. The com- ,position fibre board forms a cheap panel structure but it is subject to buckling and warping due to expansion caused by the pen: etration of moisture.

This buckling and warping of the panel p lustrated in the patent to Regenstein, 1,351,-

- results in ,an unsi htly interior and may cause detachment o the panel, and the problem of eliminating the same whileretaining the economy afforded bythe; use of fibre board panels has been-serious.

One object of our invention to -construct position fibre board so that it will not,

- or warp when exposed to moisture. In attaining this object we'also'enhance the generalappearance of the panel. 1

In carrying out the in'vention above indicated we propose to utilize a fibre board of porous cellular material which may be shaped under the action of-a diesstamping Jnachine. A fibre board composition which includes an asphaltum or other generally similar waterproofing content has been found suitable, although the broad physical characteristic of being subject to the process of stamping is the essential property. Preferably the composition board should have a relatively hard finished outer surface substantially impervious to moisture.

The panel of this material cut to size is characterized by the provision of a bead or compressed line of deformation therein which separates the outer edge portion thereof from the broad central expanse. This bead, embossment, or line of demarcation is preferably formed by stamping and constitutesthe gist of the invention, the real solution of the problem described.

x In the formation of the bead the porous fibrous material of which the panel is com- 488. The moisture absorbed at the edges of the panel is that which is most effective in creating deformation of the panel because it-readily penetrates the interior of the panel. The compacted marginal bead in applicants panel substantially arrests the inward capil-' lary. movement of the water, thereby preventing itv from reaching the broad interior expanse thereof.

Where the entire panel is exposed to moise ture 'for' any great length of time a certain amount of moisturewill be absorbed through the surface of the interior expanse of the panel. The amount so absorbed is, however, relatively unimportant, but here again the compacted bead plays an important part. The bead functions somewhat in the manner of a hinge'and the expansion of the panel is absorbed by deformation-of some portion of the head, which ,isgmore-flexible than the rest of the panel. a.

In addition to the utilitarian featiu'es osed, is more 'closely compacted at the bead than throughout the expanse of the paneL.

above described, the-bead constitutes an ef- A specification, appended claims and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a door panel embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 is a crosssectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a second embodiment of our invention in a door panel.

Fig. i is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4: of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the same line as Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the same line as Fig. 4, and

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a panel em bodying our invention.

Our invention is shown as embodied in a panel for that portion of a vehicle door be low the window opening but it is adapted for use as an interior panel elsewhere in a vehicle. A vehicle Wall is so formed as to provide frames designed to receive panels which constitute the interior trim of the body. These panels are secured in place in various ways, either through fastening devices such as tacks or screws, or other connections of a similar character, or by means of flanges adapted to engage over the edge of the panel or to be engaged by it.

In Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, an automobile door frame is indicated as 10. The outer metal panel is identified by the numeral 12 and our improved panel is identified generally by the numeral 1% and is secured to the door frame below the window opening 16. 26 indicates a window regulator handle which extends through the paneL' Our improved panel is formed of a suitable porous flexible composition fibre board having outer surfaces considerably less pervious to the taking up of moisture than the cut edges thereof.' This board may be covered on one side with fabric but we prefer to provide it with a finish of its own which forms an integral part thereof. The board is die stamped or embossed in such a manner as to provide a bead indicated as 18 in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, and as 20 in Figs. 3, 4 and 6, which bead preferably extends continuously therearound spaced from the margin of the panel and within the frame structureto which the panel is attached, separating the outer marginal portion 22 of the panel, which is attached to the frame, from the broad central interior expanse 24 of the panel.

In the formation of this bead the cellular structure of the panel iscompacted and compressed along the line of the bead so that the capillary passage of moisture from the edge of the panel is obstructed and the warping of the central portion of the panel is thereby inhibited. The bead not only serves to obstruct the passage of moisture therebeyond and to provide a decorative feature rem ins for the panel but it also serves to absorb ex pansion of the panel due to moisture which may penetrate the interior expanse of the panel through the surface, thereby preventing warping of the panel.

In Figs. 3, 4, and 6, the entire central portion of the panel is bumped out as shown most clearly in Fig. 4 and along the marginal portion of such upraised central expanse the cellular structure of the panel is compressed and compacted heretofore described and for the same purposes. In Figs. 1, 2, and 5, the panel is embossed to provide an upraised rib possessing the usual characteristics of What is commonly termed a welt and the central expanse of the panel is in the same plane as the marginal portion thereof.

In Fig. 3 the regulator spindle opening is positioned within the central expanse enclosed by the bead and we prefer to provide about such opening a second bead which encircles the opening, obstructing the capillary passage of moisture inwardly therebeyond.

What We claim is:

1. In combination with a vehicle panel supporting frame, a relatively porous composition fiber board panel secured adjacent its margin to said frame, said panel having a relatively water impervious exterior surface and being substantially more pervious at its edge to ingress of moisture and provided with a compacted line extending along said edge spaced inwardly therefrom and from its point of attachment to said frame, said compacted line densified to a point substantially beyond the normal densification of the panel structure and reduced in thickness beyond the normat t ickness of the panel structure without ma erial reduction in quantity of material along said line and forming a barrier obstructing the capillary passage of moisture from the marginal portion of the panel outside of the said line to that portion of the panel within said line.

2. In combination with a panel supportingframe, a relatively porous composition fiber board panel secured adjacent its marginal edge to said frame by securing means extending through the panel, said panel having a relatively Water impervious outer surface but being substantially more pervious to ingress of moisture at that marginal edge which is secured to the frame and provided with a compacted line extending along said edge spaced inwardly therefrom and from its point of attachment to said frame, said compacted line densified to a point substantially beyond the normal densification of the panel structure forming a barrier obstructing the capillary passage of moisture from the marginal portion of the panel outside of said 'line to that. portion within the line, said compacted line being bodily offset laterally of the normal plane of the panel forming a line of flexibility permitting relative hinge like movement of that portion of the panel on one side of said line with respect to that portion of the panel on the opposite side of said line.

3'. An interior trim panel for automotive 5 body Work comprising a flexible sheet substantially impervious to moisture penetration through its face but susceptible to such penetration through the edges thereof, said panel including a portion bodily displaced from within the plane of the panel and compacted with relation to the remainder of the panel to a less thickness than such remainder of the panel, and to a point of densification substantially beyond the normal densification of the panel structure forming a barrier obstructing the capillary passage of moisture from the marginal portion of the panel outside of said line to the interior expanse of the panel Within said line said portion extending substantial- 1y continuously adjacent the margin of the panel and separating the same from the broad interior expanse of said panel.

In testimony whereof, we, HERBERT J. WOODALL and MEREDITH S. RANDALL, sign this specification.

HERBERT J. WOODALL. MEREDITH S. RANDALL. 

